Steffers's bloghttp://lisnews.org/blog/steffers
Librarian And Information Science NewsenFriday funnieshttp://lisnews.org/node/25813
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>We're having network problems here (ie: they're moving our servers but things aren't going smoothly). Well, someone upstairs made signs up to be posted on all our public pcs so the users would know that we weren't just being mean. The signs said "<b>Pubic</b> computers are down." and then mentioned something about a computer <b>outrage</b>. This was just the sort of funny I needed after they lost all my files in the ether.... Oh, btw, we have reports that all the signs have been confiscated and destroyed so I don't have the real sign, unfortunately.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 22 Jul 2005 21:18:26 +0000Steffers25813 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/25813#commentsHarry's in the house!http://lisnews.org/node/25764
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>We just got our first shipment of Harry Potter. It's huge, but not as big as the last one methinks. Anyone want me to ruin the ending for them? ;-)</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 08 Jul 2005 18:25:35 +0000Steffers25764 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/25764#commentsThe Pre Face to the After Wordhttp://lisnews.org/node/25549
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Where, O, where have my editors gone?<br />
O, where, o, where can they be?
</p><p>
Clearly they were on lunch when this book "Practicing Primitive" by Steven M. Watts came through the office. On a quick scan past the t.o.c, I saw the phrase Pre Face. I thought "No, this can't be right...", so I found it and sure enough at the head of the page in large, bold letters is 'Pre Face'. When you look in the back of the book you see that there is an 'After Word'. LOL... Thank God it's Friday, I don't think I could take too much more of this. </p>
<p> Happy Weekend, folks. I'm going to commune with my fellow geeks tonight. (That means, I am going to see Star Wars)</p>
</div></div></div>Sat, 21 May 2005 00:15:43 +0000Steffers25549 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/25549#commentsbomb threats @ your libraryhttp://lisnews.org/node/25383
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Apparently, over the weekend a letter was found with a suspicious substance at my library. The letter also contained bomb threats (I don't know if the library was threatened this time). The library opened late and the letter has been sent off for testing. This the latest incident in a string of such threats throughout Nashville. This is also the second bomb threat letter found in this building in 3 weeks. What concerns me is the silence from the admin/security people towards the staff. I had to find out about this through the newspaper. Shouldn't we be told to be on the look out for any suspicious people? I understand the need to keep panic to a minimum but where do you draw the line between keeping the place calm and hiding information?</p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 11 Apr 2005 18:01:38 +0000Steffers25383 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/25383#commentsAnyone out there really familiar with CybraryN?http://lisnews.org/node/25289
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>One of our branch librarians has complained that some of her high school students have figured out a way to hack CybraryN so that they have unlimited 'net time. When she told our software people about it, they said it was impossible. Knowing how supremely hackable Windows is in general and the fact that the branch lib. is watching them do this, I don't believe our software guru. Anyone out there know how to hack CybraryN into giving you unlimited time? Basically, what the kids are doing is logging CybraryN off... which is impressive since not even the branch staff know the password. So, either our password is exceptionally easy to figure out (possible) or they have found an easy hack out of it (very likely). Any help would be welcome. Thanks. And any help on what we can do to prevent them from hacking would be even more welcome.</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 22 Mar 2005 02:39:47 +0000Steffers25289 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/25289#commentsCan you really call it a class if no one learns anything?http://lisnews.org/node/25188
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Okay, so this morning I got tapped to go to a training class on an updated version of our ILS software. We were told that they were going to do the acquisition and cataloging modules in the morning. Well, after sitting in the acquisitions module looking at (seriously) every entry under the menu bar for over an hour, I knew it was going to be a long morning. We spent 2+ hours in the acquisitions module doing stuff that only 2 people in the room will be authorized to do. The freaking headings of some of the sections were 'Managerial authorized blah-blah". Then we take a break, come back and have another 20 minutes of acquistions stuff. Finally, they get to the cataloging module which had been prefaced to us as the module with the most enhancements and changes. We spent 40 minutes in the cataloging module. The trainer did not even go into or show a bibliographic record. Not one. She didn't even talk about the barcoding aspect. She concentrated on things that only my manager will do... then she couldn't even answer my question about macros. If it was outside today's product she had no clue about it. Yes, she said that. Then we broke for lunch and the rest of the group (who had sat through all of this needlessly) was coming back for circ training.
</p><p>
So, I ask you, if you didn't learn anything can you call it a class???</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 25 Feb 2005 00:52:25 +0000Steffers25188 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/25188#commentsAn early Thanksgiving Funnyhttp://lisnews.org/node/24687
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><b>THE PARROT</b></p>
<p>
A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad<br />
attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth<br />
was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to<br />
change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words,<br />
playing soft music and anything else he could think of to "clean up" the bird's vocabulary.</p>
<p>
Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled<br />
back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder.<br />
John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in<br />
the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed.</p>
<p>
Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute.</p>
<p>
Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the<br />
freezer.</p>
<p>
The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said "I<br />
believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm<br />
sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend<br />
to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior." John<br />
was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude.</p>
<p>
As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in<br />
his behavior, the bird continued, "May I ask what the turkey did?"</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 18 Nov 2004 02:31:35 +0000Steffers24687 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/24687#commentsa pie in the face?http://lisnews.org/node/24389
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This week I got to indulge in one of the best fantasies we peons can have. I got to throw a pie in the face of one of our administrators. :-) It was part of a fundraising event for the staff, we could put 2 bucks for a ticket to hit our Administrative Services Admin in the face with a pie. Man, was it fun. Worth every penny I spent on the ticket. Hopefully, I'll be able to track down pictures because there are some funny ones.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 15 Oct 2004 20:32:11 +0000Steffers24389 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/24389#commentscute kids bookhttp://lisnews.org/node/24246
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Just got to catalog "The truth about poop" by Susan E. Goodman (0670036749). Man, it's cute, funny, and informative. Did you know that during WW2 the Germans thought it was good luck to run over camel dung with tanks? So those crafty Brits made mines that looked like a pile o'poo. Neat-o! Plus, the artwork is really fun. This is definitely a good book to catalog on a Friday afternoon.<br />
Have a good weekend everybody!!</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 24 Sep 2004 22:38:33 +0000Steffers24246 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/24246#commentsit's a good day already...http://lisnews.org/node/24232
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Not only has my Star Wars dvds been shipped, in fact they might be here today, but last night I was invited... nay, encouraged to join the Academy of Recording Art and Sciences. Whee!! I'll get to vote on the Grammys!! And if you're out there wondering how a quiet, staid young cataloger like myself gets to be eligible for membership... it's because I worked my ass off to sing in an up and coming symphony chorus. :-) I sing with the Nashville Symphony Chorus, and the chorus and the Nashville Symphony released a cd in March of this year to surprisingly good reviews. See <a href="http://www.nashvillesymphony.org/news/index.php?m=browse_news&amp;cID=5"> here</a> for reviews of our Missa Solemnis recording (it's available from the usual outlets). I'll put a shameless plug in for the cd, it's a great recording plus it's cheap... only 7 bucks. </p>
<p>Anyhoo, just had to brag a little... it certainly made my work attitude a little brighter today.</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 21 Sep 2004 17:54:30 +0000Steffers24232 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/24232#comments2 really cool things!http://lisnews.org/node/24110
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Hi guys! Just wanted to pass this internship along to those of you who are students out there:</p>
<p>
Subject: Internship, Cooperstown, New York</p>
<p>
Technical Services Internship Opportunity</p>
<p>
The National Baseball Hall of Fame invites graduate students in Library<br />
and Information Science to apply for a Technical Services Internship.<br />
Interns will have the opportunity to experience a technical services<br />
environment outside of a traditional academic setting. Interns will<br />
perform original and copy cataloging of baseball monographs,<br />
dissertations, serials, and newsletters using OCLCs CatME and the local<br />
Innovative Interfaces, Inc. system. Students may also be exposed to<br />
acquisitions, serials management, bibliographic and authority control, and reference.</p>
<p>
A basic cataloging class is recommended. The intern is expected to use<br />
AACR2R, LCSH, LC Classification, and MARC21 formats.</p>
<p>
To apply: Please submit a letter describing your interest in the<br />
technical services profession, a resume, and the names, phone numbers<br />
and addresses (including e-mail) of at least 3 professional references<br />
to: Melissa Krok-Marietta, Assistant Manager of Educational Programs, 25<br />
Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.baseballhalloffame.org">Baseball Hall of Fame</a>
</p><p>Also, I get to do the coolest thing. I have volunteered to help the librarian of the Nashville Symphony Chorus mess around in their music library. I've been singing with the chorus and I jumped when John (our Librarian) said he needed help. We're moving into a new hall in 2 years so we're started to get things organized. It should be a really awesome experience!!
</p><p>
Have a good day kids!!</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 02 Sep 2004 17:37:26 +0000Steffers24110 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/24110#commentsFriday morning gross out...http://lisnews.org/node/23835
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Okay, here's fair warning for the more skiddish LISnewerz out there who are afraid of bugs.
</p><p>
This morning I was sitting at my desk minding my own business listening to the radio on my headphones. My boss goes wandering by, stops dead in her tracks about 10 feet away, and says "that's where it is!". She then grabs a piece of paper, places it on the floor, and stomps on something. I heard the crunch at my desk over my headphones. Seriously. It was gross. Now, I just wandered by the kill-zone and there is an impressive smear on the floor. It's icky... I'm glad it didn't come near my desk, I'd probably still be on furniture.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 16 Jul 2004 19:02:07 +0000Steffers23835 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23835#commentsQuestionable logichttp://lisnews.org/node/23576
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>It's a few weeks before the end of the fiscal year here and at the beginning of last week we had 3 (count 'em 3) temps show up in our department. Neither manager had a clue they were coming. Yay. They are supposed to be helping with the receiving and barcoding of new materials, which would require them to have pcs. Well, our IT department is so over loaded that they have yet to set-up their pcs fully. What bothers me is that these 3 people are here for only 1 month... so by the time they get the job down pat it is time for them to be sent to another locale. We will really need them next month when we lose 2 barcoders to retirement, and have a crummy budget year ahead with no idea when we'll be able to replace them. I understand the need to use the money that we recieved for temps but isn't this a little late to try and spend $$ and help out a very busy department?</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 09 Jun 2004 18:54:01 +0000Steffers23576 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23576#commentsDancing Administratorshttp://lisnews.org/node/23486
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Have had a wonderful Friday so far...<br />
We had a staff appreciation breakfast this morning at the Main branch (we're doing them at the 5 larger regional branches as well). It was VERY well done and VERY well-received by the staff (I was on the planning commitee). 6 of our Administrators were servers, our Director was playing hostess. The 2 male admins. were wearing flowers behind their ears. Tres chic, let me tell you. My table was the rabble-rousers so somehow I got the idea to see whether the gentlemen would dance. I walked up and asked where their grass skirts were so they could do the hula. One said his was at the cleaners, the other started dancing. When he finished, the crowd applauded and he got embarrassed. LOL.. now I think I might lose my job (just kidding). But, it was nice to get breakfast AND a floor show.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 28 May 2004 23:58:28 +0000Steffers23486 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23486#commentsMentoring advice please!http://lisnews.org/node/23480
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Hi All. I have just started mentoring a lady who is working in cataloging at a nearby PL. She is not a professional and has only minimal (like 1 conference) training under her belt. She's at a severe disadvantage because no one in her department is a professional at all. The only training they have received has been learned by doing (which is great but some of the things she's been asking are stuff that she should have been taught). Her library's focus is not on having a professional, degreed staff... which means that the catalog is a mess. She is working with a Sirsi system, which I have never used so I am zero help on that, and there seems to be no one at her library who knows the system at all. It seems like an impossible situation...
</p><p>
However, she is really bright and willing to learn. I just don't know where to start. She came and shadowed me for 2 days this week but I don't know how much she got out of it. She asked tons of questions, some of which I couldn't answer because I am not familiar with her system. Others I couldn't answer because they were local practice questions, and never having worked for her library I don't know the reasons why the policies exist. It's hard for me to be the leader here because I don't know where to begin or even what she wants to get out of this arrangement. I am debating just handing her a copy of Dr. Chan's Cataloging and Classification textbook. I'd hate to give up my copy but it's a worthy cause and I think it would help answer some philosophical questions. Anyone else have any ideas on what i can give her or where I can point for help? I can do basic cataloging with her, which is what she needs, but I don't really know what she wants. </p>
<p> Another problem that I have is that she's telling me about local practices that are totally incorrect. Like not following AACR2 incorrect... basic, basic rules that are being blown to the wind. My jaw nearly hit the floor when she told me that all reading list titles end up on 1 record per title, it doesn't matter about editions/abridgements/new introductions/etc... they are all living together. She told me it was for the ease of circulation, so that the patron can be assured of getting next copy returned. It's wacky.. oh, what stand-alone libraries can do inside their walls... wish we could get away with some of it here. Anyways, I guess I really need guidance on guiding this woman in the right direction. Anyone out there been a mentor before (not necessarily cataloging or library related) and will be willing to help me? TIA</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 27 May 2004 21:46:48 +0000Steffers23480 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23480#commentsForgot to mention this...http://lisnews.org/node/23423
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This past weekend I wore my new "Beware of Rowdy Librarian" tee from <a href="http://www.librariangear.com">Librariangear.com</a>.<br />
It got me lots of attention and respect... oh yeah, and free drinks! It's a great conversation starter. I got "Are you really a librarian?" more than once! I keep forgetting that librarians are very high on the fantasy lists. BTW, If Rowdy Librarian isn't to your tastes you can always try the "I'm a librarian, b!tch!" from the <a href="http://www.cafeshops.com/lipsticklib.11050872">Lipstick Librarian</a>.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 21 May 2004 00:49:07 +0000Steffers23423 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23423#commentsClap on! Clap off!http://lisnews.org/node/23409
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Oh my, today was a craptastic day. I work in cataloging and we get to work at 7am. When my boss got to work this morning the maintenance staff was standing outside (not a good sign). When I got there the emergency lights were on (an even worse sign). Then we have no internet, and are told that we're running on 1 box of emergency power and it could go at any time. YAY! The power goes totally out (not even the exit signs were lit) 3 times, the last time the power was out for nearly 3 hours. The whole time, we're closed to the public but we have full staff wandering the halls. Now, this wasn't such a huge deal for public staff (they have windows) but those of us that work in the basement were screwed. You couldn't see more than 1 inch in front of you in the hallways, and in our office. We were gathered at the windows like moths. And yet, no one gets sent home. The power was out for t-minus 2 hours and counting, we find out we need a new transformer and the director says "Go to lunch, we'll reassess at 1pm". Umm, reassess? Reassess what, the fact that we still don't have power? Meanwhile, we're working in a building that has zero security, zero emergency lights, no ac, no phones, and no one in admin seems to think this is a concern. WHEEEEE!!! We might not even be back online tomorrow but we all still get to go in and pretend it's a normal day! Maybe I'll take a personal day tomorrow. Geez.</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 19 May 2004 01:05:21 +0000Steffers23409 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23409#commentsnot-so creepy puppets..http://lisnews.org/node/23219
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>There seems to be a rash of creepy puppets invading libraries recently. Shoe's library has some and mine does. Mine are leaving Thursday, I think. Well tonight I went to see the troupe perform a history of marionettes. It was soo cool. Most of the marionettes were around 100 years old. By far, the coolest one was a shapeshifter. It took 4 puppeteers, and had 3 distinct puppets... it was dark and amazing to watch. I wish I could describe it but I don't think I could do it justice, it was something you just had to see.
</p><p>
Now, the creepy puppets have been on display and were not involved with tonights performance. I will admit that some of the displayed puppets were quite cool. There was one of the Snow Queen which was beautiful. However, the rest were just creepy. Thankfully, they will be gone soon. The troupe will be missed though. It was the Puppentheater Magdeburg from Magdeburg, Germany. They were wonderful. <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&amp;sl=de&amp;u=http://www.puppentheater-magdeburg.de/&amp;prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522Puppentheater%2BMagdeburg%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8">Here's</a> their website as translated by google.
</p><p>
<a href="http://www.library.nashville.org/marionettes.htm">My library</a> has a webpage for the puppets that we own (which are not as creepy). All in all, it was a great way to spend the eve of my birthday. Surrounded by friends and weird little puppet creatures. :-)</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 28 Apr 2004 06:36:18 +0000Steffers23219 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23219#commentsstupid weather...http://lisnews.org/node/23171
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>It is far too nice outside to be working in the basement. It's 74-ish degrees, sunny, with a slight breeze... man, I want to be outside. :-( My Sister said it best "I have a window, the weather is tormenting me." I am glad that I don't have a window.<br />
Can we institute mandatory Library recess? Like a siesta except we can go outside and play?</p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 19 Apr 2004 22:35:49 +0000Steffers23171 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23171#commentsStrange tech services pictureshttp://lisnews.org/node/23156
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>All right, I know we're a weird department. We create too much freetime and have waaaay too much fun with arts and crafts. Case in point, a couple of people found a cardboard cutout of Oprah in the hallway, brought her in here, and put her on display. When a branch manager said that she was going to kidnap Oprah, they dressed her up as Martha Stewart to hide her from the rest of the staff. The fruits of their labor have been <a href="http://serenitymoon.tripod.com/martha.html">documented</a>. Enjoy!! Happy Friday!!</p>
<p>
A friend of mine sent me <a href="http://archive.gamespy.com/comics/dorktower/">this</a>. I wonder if this is what will happen when Gmail starts up. Imagine having a political discussion and having ads for free trips to Iraq popping in your mail..</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 16 Apr 2004 18:07:46 +0000Steffers23156 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23156#comments23-5http://lisnews.org/node/23126
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>* 1. Grab the nearest book.<br />
* 2. Open the book to page 23.<br />
* 3. Find the fifth sentence.<br />
* 4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.</p>
<p>"Their biodiversity is among the most threatened in the world and their ecosystems provide ecological corridors linking major areas of biodiversity around the world."<br />
from Moon Handbooks Micronesia</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 14 Apr 2004 17:44:11 +0000Steffers23126 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23126#commentsA Friday funny...http://lisnews.org/node/23094
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I don't know who has seen this but I came across it in my daily news searching. Looks like AOL is raffling off a nice nice car... all as a thank you for it's members helping them fight spam. <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&amp;cid=562&amp;ncid=738&amp;e=6&amp;u=/ap/20040409/ap_on_hi_te/aol_spammer_car">Story</a></p>
<p>
Wonder if anyone else will start this? </p>
<p>
More funnies! If you're bored, click <a href="http://www.freethegnomes.com/">Here</a> to join the Free The Gnomes movement. I wish I could find the link to the articles out of France from a year or two ago where people stole garden gnomes and lined them up at roundabouts. LOL...</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 09 Apr 2004 20:34:39 +0000Steffers23094 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23094#commentsAre you sure it's not Monday??http://lisnews.org/node/23067
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>People are being confused by the printer... "It says Powersave, but I want to print something."</p>
<p>
Others are complaining that their desks are too loud. Well, their desks aren't what is loud, that would be scary, the area around their desks is loud. However, THEY chose that desk and are frequently the noisiest person in here. Geez... The joys of working in the basement. I maintain we are not technical services, we are occupational therapy. Seriously. Why else would we have an Oprah cutout dressed as a jailbird Martha Stewart? (I wish I had a picture to show you guys)</p>
<p> I've been here less than 2 hours and already I'm at my "wtf?" quota for the day... </p>
<p> Thank heavens for Lisnews, the entertaining and interesting debates have been most interesting today. Loved the Hagar thread and the Privacy wars thread. Anyways, back to work for me.. I'm sure there'll be more weird people stories later.</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 06 Apr 2004 18:57:35 +0000Steffers23067 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23067#commentsOCLC's ContentDM...http://lisnews.org/node/23038
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Hi all...
</p><p>
Has anyone out there in Lisnews-land been using ContentDM? We're going to be starting a project using it later this spring. (We're having a training session at the end of April) I've looked through the <a href="http://www.oclc.org/contentdm/default.htm">information</a> on OCLC's webpage but am curious to hear how others are using it.<br />
In all honesty, I am not sure how it's going to be used here. We're going to put 500 images into the database (that will probably be less than 300 records, figuring 1-2 images per record) from materials in our special collections. I've seen some of the success stories on the oclc page, but I'd like to hear any experiences with it from those who've worked in it. Any help would be nice, I just want to know what to expect. What questions to ask during training? Etc...<br />
Thanks!!</p>
</div></div></div>Sat, 03 Apr 2004 00:13:51 +0000Steffers23038 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23038#commentsWal-mart to sell Linux pcs onlinehttp://lisnews.org/node/23023
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I wasn't sure whether this would be a news worthy story or not but thought that you guys might be interested. I saw <a href="http://apnews.excite.com/article/20040401/D81LMTF80.html">this</a> on Excite this morning...</p>
<p> Pretty cool. At only 289 bucks, I might invest in one and dump my XP... LOL... except I probably couldn't play Sims anymore.</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 01 Apr 2004 20:24:18 +0000Steffers23023 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23023#commentsorders....http://lisnews.org/node/23012
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This is for all you tech services people out there... I've been working on some books on cassettes today and have seen some wacky orders. There doesn't seem to be a consistent pattern to how these things were ordered. (I'm not even going to go into the extraneous notes placed in the order records. Yikes!) I have multi-part titles that are each order differently. One title gets a single order record, and another gets individual orders for each part. Whee. Now, this is a HUGE order... like takes up the shelves on the back wall huge. These inconsistent orders have made it difficult for our receiving staff to receive and for me to catalog. For example, I have a 3 part set of Lonesome Dove. I only have parts 2 and 3 in my hands because they were all ordered on separate order records and part 1 hasn't come in yet. Whee! The icing on the cake? There are holds against it! So now, I have to hold the parts I've got in my hands because I don't have the whole set. Grrr... (end rant now)
</p><p>
Now for the constructive part. How do you handle ordering multi-part titles? I'd like our a/v acquisitions person to pick one way, either single orders for all parts or separate orders for each. It'd make the rest of our lives tons easier. What do you guys think?</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 31 Mar 2004 00:54:19 +0000Steffers23012 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/23012#commentsEaster fun!http://lisnews.org/node/22974
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Okay, it's getting to get Easter time again and that means Peeps. That's right, I said Peeps. For those that don't like (or can't eat) these sugar filled creations I give you these websites. Enjoy.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.peepresearch.org/index.html">Center for Peep research</a></p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.millikin.edu/staley/fluff/peep_research.html">Peeps in Millikin U library</a></p>
<p>If you're bored on a chilly spring weekend, I suggest nuking some of these peeps... it's rather fun. :-)</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 23 Mar 2004 22:26:36 +0000Steffers22974 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/22974#commentsQuote of the dayhttp://lisnews.org/node/22940
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>"The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress."<br />
- Joseph Joubert</p>
<p>
I just thought that was a neat quote to start my wednesday off. With all the emotional debates we get into over here I think sometimes we forget that no one ever really "wins" an argument or discussion. The goal is to learn or at least expand your horizons a bit.</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 17 Mar 2004 22:42:45 +0000Steffers22940 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/22940#commentsHarry Potter for the Ancient Greekshttp://lisnews.org/node/22756
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I didn't think that this would work as an article but thought all Lisnews-ers would like to see <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&amp;u=/nm/20040220/od_uk_nm/oukoe_arts_potter_greek ">this</a>. </p>
<p>
Hopefully, this will help make classical education seem a little less stuffy.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 20 Feb 2004 20:21:25 +0000Steffers22756 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/22756#commentsDigitization confusionhttp://lisnews.org/node/22746
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Somewhere there's a digitization project in the works. I really don't know using what or when yet but I know who, so I guess that's something. </p>
<p>
The way it's going to work (tenatively) is that the selected members of our special collections will create records in WorldCat for whatever collections/items/etc... they choose. Then, we catalogers, will be downloading them from Worldcat into our system. In theory, we'll all get trained on entering these records into Worldcat. </p>
<p>
My problem with this is that none of these people are catalogers. Some have little to no understanding of what standards are (for anything, let alone metadata). The catalogers will have no quality control on these records until we go into Worldcat and download them into our ils. So, in effect, we'll be entering potentially dirty records into Worldcat for public consumption. The expectation here may be that we can rely on others to edit our records for us. I'm thinking it would behoove us to upload the cleanest records possible. IM, that's part of being a good OCLC member agency.</p>
<p>
Has anyone out there in the lisnews wastelands come across a situation like this? Any advice on how to handle it? Since this is still in the planning stages, I think that any input from us peons might actually get used. How have others approached digitizing a special collections? We're a public library with a budget that just went in the crapper (that's another entry) so funds are <b>very</b> limited. Any help/advice/rants would be appreciated.</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 18 Feb 2004 21:43:12 +0000Steffers22746 at http://lisnews.orghttp://lisnews.org/node/22746#comments